What percentage of overall energy comes from solar power? Around 4.4% of total global energy came from solar power in 2021. This is an increase from 3.3% in 2020. Renewables as a whole contributed 38% of
In 2023, an estimated 96% of newly installed, utility-scale solar PV and onshore wind capacity had lower generation costs than new coal and natural gas plants. In addition, three-quarters of new wind and solar PV plants offered cheaper
For wind, the net maximum electrical capacity increased 14 times between 2000 and 2019 as it increased from 12 300 to 167 000 MW between 2000 and 2019. For solar, the net maximum electrical capacity increased 700 times as it
In 2022, 40% – a record amount – of electricity came from renewables. This represented an increase of 5% from 2021, mostly due to additional wind generation (due to high wind speeds and more offshore
The remaining one-third of electricity generated was from solar power (18.2 %), solid biofuels (6.9 %) and other renewable sources (7.5 %). Solar power is the fastest-growing source: in 2008, it accounted for 1 %. This means
In 2028, renewable energy sources account for 42% of global electricity generation, with the wind and solar PV share making up 25%. In 2028, hydropower remains the largest renewable electricity source. However,
The share of solar PV and wind in global electricity generation is forecast to double to 25% in 2028 in our main case. This rapid expansion in the next five years will have implications for power systems worldwide.
In 2028, renewable energy sources account for over 42% of global electricity generation, with the share of wind and solar PV doubling to 25%. IEA. Licence: CC BY 4.0 China accounts for almost 60% of new renewable capacity expected to become operational globally by 2028.
Energy output is a function of power (installed capacity) multiplied by the time of generation. Energy generation is therefore a function of how much wind capacity is installed. This interactive chart shows installed wind capacity – including both onshore and offshore – across the world.
Wind and hydro power accounted for more than two-thirds of the total electricity generated from renewable sources (37.5 and 29.9 %, respectively). The remaining one-third of electricity generated was from solar power (18.2 %), solid biofuels (6.9 %) and other renewable sources (7.5 %).
In 2025, renewables surpass coal to become the largest source of electricity generation. Wind and solar PV each surpass nuclear electricity generation in 2025 and 2026 respectively. In 2028, renewable energy sources account for over 42% of global electricity generation, with the share of wind and solar PV doubling to 25%.
Renewable electricity production is growing quickly, mostly thanks to the deployment of solar and wind. Ember has just published its latest Global Electricity Review, which includes final updates on electricity generation worldwide in 2023. We have updated our Energy Data Explorer with all of this data.
